b. Other current formal formal status 

 recommendations: Claytonia lanceolata var. 

 f lava is now ranked as G5T1S1 by the MTNHP 

 (Shelly 1988) . 



c. Review of past status: Previously listed as 

 "recommended threatened" ("(a)ny species that 

 is likely to become an endangered species 

 within the foreseeable future throughout all 

 or a significant portion of its range in 

 Montana) by the Montana Rare Plant Project 

 (Lesica et al. 1984) . 



I .3. A. General nontechnical description: Claytonia 



lanceolata var. flava is a small perennial 

 herb, with stems that arise from deep-seated 

 corms. The aboveground portions of the stems 

 are about 2-6 inches tall. The middle of 

 each stem bears two opposite leaves, which 

 are much longer (ca. 2-4 inches long) than 

 wide (ca. 1/4-1/2 inch wide). The tops of 

 the stems bear from 2 to 12 or more flowers; 

 the results of systematic studies currently 

 in progress indicate that the petals may be 

 either yellow or white. The five petals are 

 rounded at the tips, and narrow to a small 

 base. In Montana, the plants are generally 

 in bloom from mid-May to mid-June, although 

 at the highest elevations some flowers may 

 persist into early July. 



I.3.B. Technical description: Glabrous perennial 



from a usually rather deep-seated, 

 semiglobose corm 5-20 (40) mm. in diameter; 

 basal leaves (often lacking in flowering 

 plants) 1 or 2, narrowly oblanceolate, 2-10 

 mm. broad, up to about 10 cm. long (including 

 the subterranean portion of the slender 

 petiole) ; flowering stems 1-several, up to 

 about 12 cm. tall (not including the 

 subterranean portion or raceme) , bearing 

 (from slightly below to above midlength) 2 

 opposite, sessile or subsessile, narrowly 

 lanceolate leaves that are commonly about 3- 

 10 (12) mm. wide and 2-6 cm. long; racemes 

 loosely (2) 3- to 12-flowered, often secund, 

 reduced-bracteate below; pedicels stout to 

 slender, 1-5 cm. long, usually arched- 

 recurved in fruit; sepals 4-7 mm. long; 

 corolla deep yellow or white, the petals 7-12 

 mm. long; stamens 5, basally adnate to the 

 petals; styles 3; capsule ovoid, firm-walled, 

 about 4 mm. long; seeds (1-2) 3-6, black and 

 shining, 2-2.5 mm. long, very indistinctly 



